Improvement in moccasin boots and shoes



N,FETERS. FHOTO-LITMOGRAFHER, WASHINGTUN, n C.

l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS HERSEY,OF BANGOR, MAINE.

IMPROVEMENT EN IVIOCCASIN BOOTS AND; SHOES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0.'l07,015, dated September 6, 1870.

'b @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, THOMAS HERsnY, of Bangor, in the county of Penobscot and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Moccasin Boots and Shoes orPacs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and eX- to the accompanying drawings, and tothe letters of reference marked thereon.

VThe nature of my invention consists in so cutting the leather or material of which the moccasins or pacs are manufactured as to be able to economize the use of the most valuable or sole leather in proportion to the less valuable leather or other material which may be used for the other parts, and also to adapt the various thicknesses lof the material to the part of the moccasin or pac in which it is to be used 5 secondly, in enabling the manufacturer y to avoid the seams in heels, where they are more liable to rip, and to place them at the sides, where they are less liable to rip, and where they .will help very materially to support the counters, and also to avoid several sharp corners in the seams, as will hereinafter be explained.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a moceasin boot or boot-pac constructed with the improved patterns, and showing how the seams are arranged to support the boot. Fig. 2 is a moccasin boot or pac manufactured in the usual manner, and with the different parts cut by the usual patterns. Fig. 3 is a shoepac or moccasin shoe made with the improved patterns. Fig. 4 is ashoe made after the usual style and cut by the old patterns. Figs. 5 to 14., inclusive, show the old and new patterns of the several parts of the pac In the drawings of the patterns marked with the letters corresponding to the letters on Y Figs. l, 2, 8, 4, A is the leg,which may be cut very nearly alike in both Figs. 1 and 2, al-

though in Fig. l the sharp angle at a', Fig. 2, is avoided, and the pattern allows more curve in the seam, as seen at a, Fig. l.

B is the tip, and the difference of the two patterns is shown by the heavy line, which shows the shape ofthe old patterns, and shows at b b why it is nesessary to make the sharp angle b, Fig. 2. A

C is the new style of counter, and it is joined at the ends c/ c to the parts c c of the tip B.

This seam is shown in Fig. 1, and it can readily lbe seen that cutting the counter' in this way al-lows a use of an appropriate thickness of 1 leather, while the seam at the heel, as seen at Fig. 2, is avoided, and the seams are brought to the side, Where they help to support the l boot and keep it in shape. act description thereof-reference being had i By reference to D it will be seen that the counter has always been cut, with theY sole, out of the thickest and most expensive part of the leather, and the parts cl d and e have been brought together, as shown at d e, Fig. 2.

.The shape and comparative size of the old pattern are shown by the heavy lines, and it f can readily be seen at D C how much of the best stock can be saved by cutting the. sole after the pattern D and using it in connection 1 with the new style tip B and counter O, which may just as well be of inferior stock.

An improved shape tothe boot can be at tained by the new patterns, because the sole, being cut separate from the counter, can be cut in to correspond with the instep of the foot, and the seam ff, being placed low around the side of the foot, stiffens and supports the boot or shoe, and this, in rconnection with the seam at c d, serves to conform the pac somewhat to the hollow and narrow part `of the foot, and keeps it in shape.

It is found that the greatest economy is oh tai-ned in the difference between the old and new patterns for the soles, and by actual experiment it is found to be in the ratio of twenty-threev pairs of soles of the new pattern to seventeen pairs of soles of the old pattern cut from or marked out of the same hide. This difference can readily be understood by reference to D, where the red lines show the old style and the black lines the new pattern.

It has been found necessary in the old pattern to use a strap across the instep of the foot, as shown by the dotted lines at Fig. 2, to. keep the boot up in place on the foot and to prevent running over. This is objection able, as the snow and ice collect under the strap at a and impede the free movement of the ankle of the wearer, and melt and soak into the boot in the part where it is most desirable to keep the boot as dry as possible, in order to be able to get it off and on to the feet easily. In the new style this strap Vbecomes unnecessary, as the seams and the improved shape of the boot sufficiently support it. These boots and shoes, of both styles, are frequently fitted with heels and taps, as shown by the dotted lines.

In the manufacture of shoes fully as important benefits are obtained. By reference to Fig. 3 it will be seen that the same advantages are gained in economy of the most eX- pensive stock and in the support derived from a judicious arrangement of the seams.

In the different patterns E and E it will be seen that E is so rounded at h that the seam formed by its junction with the tip B at Iz., Fig. 3, is a continuous curved seam up to j, while in the old style the counter E is sharp at h, and forms a sharp angle in the seam h, Fig. 4, and the tip B, being sewed around to m of the tip and a of the sole, makes a bad joint at h m a, Fig. 4.

It will readily be seen that a great strainA must of necessity always be exerted on thel joint of the tip with the sole at a, Fig. 4, in putting the foot into the shoe. This is wholly avoided in the new tip B", which, being joined at its ends i 11 to the ends z" i of the counter C, and being sewed at j to the ends h 7b of the quarter E, throws the whole strain of the foot onto the leather at j while pulling on the shoe. This tip B is provided with a tongue, s, fastened at j, and sometimes the tip is cut a little way down at j, in which case a couple of holes are putin to lace up.

The samev proportionate saving is effected in the soles of the shoes as in the soles of the boots, and the shoe laces up much neater and easier over the instep of the foot than the old style.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willnow proceed to describe its construction and operation.

I take leather tanned expressly for moccasin-leather, or any other suitable material, and cut the leg A, tip B, counter C, and sole D; I place them in the relative positions shown in Fig. 1 and sew them firmly together, forming a boot or pac with the seams as shown in the drawings. I proceed in a Similar manner in forming the shoe, taking the quarter E, tip

B, counter C, and sole D, and, placing them in the relative positions shown in Fig. 3, I sew them firmly together, forming the shoe-as shown at Fig. 3.

I do not claim any improvement in ordinary boots or shoes formed with soles made of soleleather or similar rigid material, and which soles are flat and connected to the upper beneath or about in the same plane with the sole of the foot of the wearer; but

Vhat I do claim isl. The described improvement in the patterns or method of cutting the sole D or D of a moccasin boot or shoe or pac, as shown in Figs. 5 and 9, whereby the most expensive part of the stock is economized and the part ordinarily used as a counter is omitted and left to be cut in separate pieces from other and less valuable stock.

2. The tip B of a moccasin boot or pac, cut as shown in Fig. 7, whereby the position of the seams on the boot are changed and placed as at Fig. l, thereby economizing stock, stiffening the boot in those parts where it is needed, and conforming the sole and its adjacent parts more nearly to the shape of the foot of the wearer.

3. A inocca-sin boot or shoe constructed lwith a counter, C or O, as and for the purpose described.

4. A moccasin boot constructed with a leg, A, tip B, counter C, and sole D, the parts being shaped and arranged as in Fig. 1.

5. A moccasin shoe constructed with a tip, B, cut in the form shown in Fig. 12, and for the purpose set forth.

6. A moccasin shoe constructed with a quarter, E, cut in the form shown in Fig. 10, and for the purpose set forth.

7. Amoccasin shoe constructed withaquarter, E, tip B, counter C, and sole D, all joined or sewed together as described, and shown in Fig. 3.

THOMAS HEBSEY.

Vitncsses:

HORACE S. SMITH, FRED. H. CooMBs. 

